Joram* refused to move when an armed group tried to force him and his family out of their house in north east Syria. It was a brave, but costly decision.
“The next day, the armed group came again and killed one of my children right in front of me,” says Joram. “I escaped with the rest of my family and my parents through the woods, until we reached a safer zone. From there, we were taken to a refugee camp in Western Syria.” This terrifying experience has had an impact on Joram’s health. “Because of everything that has happened to us, I have been sad and depressed,” he admits. “I even started suffering from a heart disease and recently had to go through a cardiac catherization, without which I was at risk of dying. It has been very hard for us.” Joram now lives in a small room with his parents, wife and children. He sometimes gets paid work, but it is very unpredictable. “I never know if I will be able to feed my children.”
There is hope, thanks to a local church supported by LSESD’s relief arm MERATH. Joram got to know the church through one of his relatives who helps load and unload food containers there. “Through him I was introduced to the church and thank God, when they saw the situation we are living in, they started helping us by providing food boxes,” says Joram. “This help is vital for us – I can feed my family with healthy food and we have enough for the whole month now. The church is also trying to find another place for us to live in. We are very thankful for them!”
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*Name changed